1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording-and-reproducing apparatus such as an integrated-circuit (IC) recorder using a semiconductor memory, as a non-transitory recording medium, an information transfer-and-management method for transferring an information signal to the recording-and-reproducing apparatus and managing the transferred information signal, and a recording medium of the recording-and-reproducing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, recording-and-reproducing apparatuses such as IC recorders using a semiconductor memory, as a recording medium have been widely used. Audio data (music data) is often stored in the semiconductor memory loaded into the IC recorder so that the IC recorder can be used, as an audio player.
Usually, audio data accumulated on a personal computer (PC) is transferred and stored in the semiconductor memory loaded into the IC recorder via the PC. In that case, a software program for transferring the audio data to the IC recorder or managing the transferred audio data should be installed on the PC in advance.
Then, the software program is started in the PC, audio data for transfer is selected from among the audio data accumulated on the PC, and a transfer instruction is inputted. Subsequently, predetermined audio data is transferred and stored in the semiconductor memory loaded into the IC recorder so that the IC recorder can reproduce the predetermined audio data for use.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-328860 discloses a technology for receiving predetermined audio data from a PC by transmitting a transfer instruction from a predetermined terminal that is the transfer destination of the audio data to the PC. This technology is intended for users who want to transfer audio data from the PC to an audio player, even though they are not accustomed to operating PCs. The above-described technology allows users to receive audio data without directly operating the PC.
However, according to the above-described technology, a software program for transmitting and receiving audio data needs to be installed on both the PC functioning as the audio-data sender and the terminal functioning as the audio-data destination. When the software program is executed and predetermined communication procedures are performed, the audio-data transfer is achieved. Thus, the above-described technology does not allow receiving transferred audio data with ease from any type of PCs.
As described above, according to the above-described technology, the software program for transferring the audio data accumulated on the PC to the IC recorder and managing the transferred audio data needs to be installed on the PC. Subsequently, the user is not allowed to receive audio data transferred from a PC that does not include the software program.
Therefore, IC recorders that support for transferring audio data accumulated on a PC to a predetermined folder (directory) generated in a semiconductor memory loaded into the IC recorder through a drag-and-drop operation by using the function of the PC have been provided.
According to the above-described system, however, the audio data transferred to the predetermined folder can only be reproduced according to a predetermined order including the order in which the audio data was dragged and dropped, the name (title) order, and so forth. That is to say, the audio data cannot be reproduced in an order that the user intends.
In recent years, there have been demands for transferring abundant audio data provided for private use to a memory loaded into an IC recorder and using the audio data easily anytime and anywhere through buying predetermined audio data (music contents) and/or receiving audio contents that is provided free of charge for a predetermined time period and/or sample audio data provided free of charge, and so on at anytime and from anywhere via a network such as the Internet.